Means for delivering puddle balls from puddling furnaces



Sept. 11; 1923. 1,467.541

E. L. FORD MEANS FORDELIVEIRING PUDDLE BALLS FROM PUDDLING FURNACES Filed March 26. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.'

was

Sept. 11, 1923. 1567.541

' E. FORD MEANS FOR DELIVERING PUDDLE BALLS FRGM PUDDLING FURNACES Filed March 26. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 11, 1923.

warren EDWARD L. FORD, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO.

MEANS FOR DELIVERING PUDDLE BALLS FROM PUDDLING FURNACES.

Application filed March 26, 1921. Serial No. 455,718.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. FORD, a resident of Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Means for Delivering Puddle Balls from Puddling Furnaces, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of apparatus embodying my invention; and

Figure 2 is a view of the same partly in end elevation and partly in perspecth'e.

My invention has relation to means for delivering puddle balls from puddliug furnaces, and more particularly from that class of puddling furnaces in which the furnace is arranged to tip or tilt to effect the discharge of the ball, although it may be used with balls which have been removed from non-tilting furnaces.

In removing puddle balls from furnaces of this character, the ball usually falls to the floor under the furnace and is hard to remove with a crane or other device. My invention is designed to provide a simple and effective means for receiving the ball as it is discharged from the furnace and for guiding it upon a car or other conveyor, by means of which it is to be taken to the press or squeezer. My invention also provides means whereby the ball is kept in the desired position with its longer axis in the same direction.

The nature of my invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown the preferred embodiment thereof and which will now be described, it being premised, however, that various changes may be made in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of the various parts, with out departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

In these drawings, the numeral 2 designates a portion of a tipping or tilting puddling furnace of a character well known in the art. 3 designates a car which is arranged to receive the puddle balls as they are discharged from the furnace and to convey them to the press or squeezer which forms them into shape for the rolls or hammers.

Intermediate the furnace 2 and the car 3,

' the ball.

I provide a chute to receive the ball from the furnace and guide it to the car. This chute is inclined, its upper end being ad-- jacent to the mouth of the furnace when the latter is in tilted position, and its lower end being adjacent to one side of the tracks for the car The angle of inclination is such that the ball will travel through the chute by gravity; and preferably the angle of inclination is reduced at the lower end portion of the chute so as to tend to check the movement of the ball. Opposite the lower end of the chute and at the opposite side of the tracks from the chute is a suitable fixed bumper 4, which will stop the ballin the desired position on the car.

In the construction shown, the chute consists of an upper portion 5 of sheet metal secured to a suitable frame. Its lower portion consists of parallel rails or beams 6, having openings between them through which slag or dirt may be discharged. The cross section of the chute atright angles to its longitudinal axis approximates a cross section of one-half of a puddle ball taken in a plane at right angles to the longer axis of The chute, however, is somewhat wider than the extreme length of the ball at its receiving end and narrows toward the delivery end, in such a manner that no matter what angle the ball falls into the chute, it will, in its descent therefrom, align itself with the chute and be delivered at the discharge end with its longer axis substantially parallel with the longer axis of the chute.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those familiar with this art, since it provides a very simple, convenient and efficient means for the desired purpose, and greatly reduces the labor of handling the puddle balls upon their discharge from the'furnace.

I claim:

1. The combination with a puddling furnace, and a conveyor device adjacent thereto, of an inclined chute in position to receivean elongated ball from the discharge opening of the puddling furnace, the chute having side portions separated by a distance less than the major diameter of the ball and arranged to support the ball as it slides in the direction of its longer diameter toward and onto the conveyor device, substantially as described.

2. The combinatlon with a puddling furnacc, of a conveyor car adjacent: thereto and an inclined chute arranged to support an elongated ball as it is dropped out of the furnace and direct the same upon the car While traveling in the direction of its longer diameter, the chute having forwardly converging side portions separated by a distance less than the major diameter or the ball, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a puddling furnace and a conveyor device adjacent thereto, of an inclined chute in position to receive an elongated ball from the discharge opening of the puddling furnace, the chulze having side portions separated by a distance less than the major diameter of the ball and arranged to support the ball as it. slides in the direction of its longer diameter toward and onto the conveyor device, and a stop arranged to engage the end portion of the ball and stop it on the conveyor device, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWARD L. FORD. 

